TUF 13: Welterweights & Middleweights?

That's what it sounds like, or one of the two, based on an open casting call for season 13.

Calling all TUF guys:

Spike TV and UFC recently announced an open casting call for the next installment of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) franchise at the Red Rock Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday, November 4.

Welterweight (170 pounds) and middleweight (185 pounds) hopefuls should arrive at the Summerlin Ballroom between 8 and 9 a.m. PT. Registration will take place as soon as the doors open and tryouts are set to begin at 10 a.m. EP.

UFC President Dana White is expected to oversee the tryouts with Spike TV’s senior vice president of sports and specials, Brian Diamond. No debut or possible coaching candidates for Season 13 are known at this time.

Applicants must be over the age of 21 and have a professional fight record with a minimum of three fights. Dress code would be that of a normal sparring session and candidates are expected to bring the appropriate gear and equipment.

Wanderlei Silva & Chris Leben as coaches, anyone?

jjeans

10/14/10 8:17:23AM

Wanderlei Silva & Chris Leben sounds the most realistic

Jon Jones and Ryan Bader arent my personal choice but makes sense

I dont have a clue who else you'd even consider, but coming off of a middleweight season, i am more expecting a Welterweight season than a middleweight.

Heck, i think Jay Hieron should show up

But as for the coaches, no idea, am going to keep my eye out for peoples opinions

jjeans

10/14/10 8:26:20AM

Jon Fitch Vs the winner of Shields/Kampmann?

Fitch looked like a good coach on TUF... But is lack luster in fights so maybe notBut it would promote that fight, get more views than Fitch normal gets and maybe give him a fan base sets up a Number 1 contender as well

FastKnockout

10/14/10 3:52:30PM

Well, the news after TUF 12 tryouts were that a lot of promising Middleweights turned up and there just wasn't enough room to fit them all in one season. I could see why'd they request Middleweights once again this season.

Or

They could just be requesting for both divisions just in case the opposite happens this time around. If there aren't enough fighters from one weight class, they could add the other to fill up the space. Welterweight and Middleweight isn't that big of difference, they could just request certain spotlighted fighters to move up or down in weight if they wanted to make the show, and it wouldn't be that difficult. That's what happened to Mike Swick on season one. He went out for Middleweight (his natural weight) and they said if he wanted on the show he would have to fight as Light Heavyweight, and that's what he did. They just ran out of room on the show for that division.

I'd like to see Bader .vs. Jones happen. But, something tells me they might have been holding Wanderlei back for this opportunity, and if that's true I won't complain.

emfleek

10/14/10 4:19:22PM

Posted by FastKnockout

I'd like to see Bader .vs. Jones happen. But, something tells me they might have been holding Wanderlei back for this opportunity, and if that's true I won't complain.

I honestly think that Jones/Bader would be the lowest rated TUF ever. Both guys need more time to develop before they could even be taken seriously as legit coaches, imo. I don't think guys who are still so green and learning so much can be taken seriously as coaches when they're likely not too far ahead of (some) guys, in terms of skill, that they'd be coaching.

Maybe it's just me and my preconceived notion that a coach has to be more of a vet? I don't know, but a Jones/Bader coaching matchup does nothing for me, personally.